Today is the second and final simple menu idea for autumn and should appeal to both local and overseas readers. Your feedback has been wonderful, as always, and I am happy that I am helping your entertaining needs. As promised, this week I am going to do oxtails as the main feature of this engaging menu before I turn the focus on Christmas cookery. Many of you love oxtails but wanted to try something different with them.

The humble oxtail has been elevated to prime status on many menus across the globe. It is not a particularly attractive cut of meat but, as the cliché says, looks can be deceiving. Once considered the food of the poor and rejected as inferior cuts of oxen and cows, it is now an expensive cut of meat. The flesh is succulent due to the protective layer of fat which encases it. Most people nowadays, including myself, will trim off the excess fat for health reasons.

Oxtail is very popular on our island and a regular feature of restaurants serving local food. The meat seems tough to start out with, but after some loving slow cooking it becomes so tender and juicy. I know a few people who claim not to eat much red meat but go crazy over an oxtail meal. I have an acquaintance that does the most amazing oxtail dinners from time to time.

I love Chef Colin Hilton of Guilt Trip’s oxtail pasta starter and fell in love with Chef Martin Maginley of Round Hill’s oxtail pizza at this year’s Jamaica Observer Food Awards. I created an oxtail braised in Red Stripe dish which was featured in Skywritings last year, so of course I have to share something special with Thursday Food readers.

Simple Green Salad with Nuts and Apples

I had some leftover nuts from last week which I simply toasted and added to mixed greens and chopped apples. This makes a beautiful starter drizzled with either a blue cheese dressing or vinaigrette.

Oven-Braised Oxtail with St Elizabeth Thyme, Rosemary and Jamaican Citrus Peel

Every Jamaican knows how to make a fabulous oxtail with butterbeans; our island is famous for it. Try my recipe for an elegant change of pace for a dinner party served with yam mash (see recipe below). This is one of the recipes I developed for my cookbook. When I used to live in Paris I would always bring back from holidays spent in Jamaica lots of spices, herbs and dried citrus peel. My friends loved when I married both Jamaican and French flavours in preparing oxtail.

Chef’s Tip

Oxtail is a slow-cooking meal and this recipe is enough for six. There is time as the meat simmers to prepare other dishes. If in a hurry make use of the pressure cooker. The flavour however, will not be as intense.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

2 kgs of oxtail

1 red onion, roughly chopped

3 carrots, roughly chopped

2 large cloves of garlic, crushed

3 stalks of escallion, white parts only, finely chopped

400ml dry red wine, preferably French

2 cans of diced tomatoes

10 sprigs, fresh thyme

5 sprigs, rosemary

Zest of 1 Jamaican orange; be careful there is no white pith

Zest of 1 Jamaican lime, as above

2 bay leaves

1 tsp anise seeds

1 whole Scotch Bonnet pepper

1 beef stock cube

1 cup of water

Olive Oil, for frying

Method:

Tie thyme and rosemary together

Preheat the oven to 375F

Add olive oil to an ovenproof large pan over high heat and brown the oxtail on all sides in batches.

Drain off the excess fat, reduce the temperature to a medium heat and add onion, carrots, escallion and garlic until just golden.

Add red wine and bring to a boil and deglaze until almost evaporated.

Add tomatoes, tied herbs, bay leaves, citrus peels, anise seeds, scotch bonnet, salt and pepper to taste and return the oxtail pieces to the pan with beef stock cube and water and bring to a simmer.

Cover stew with parchment paper and then the lid and braise for 3 hours.

Remove from heat and discard the citrus peels, herb stems. Skim off excess fat which may have accumulated.

Remove the meat from the bones and return to the sauce and cook for a further _ hour to hour depending on how tender the meat is.

Serve with yam mash or over pasta.

Copyright &Copy; Jacqui Sinclair

Yam Mash

Instead of mashed potatoes, try this lovely version with soft white yam, it goes nicely with rich stews.

Ingredients:

1lb yam, cut into cubes

Water, enough to cover the yams

1 garlic clove, minced

1 Tsp olive oil

1 Tbsp butter

_ cup milk

Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Boil the yams until a fork can pass through.

In a small frying pan, gently heat the olive oil, add the garlic and sauté for a minute, remove from heat.

Add the yams to a bowl and add the milk, butter, salt and pepper to taste and garlic oil.

Mash until smooth with a fork.

Meringue Nest with Passion Fruit, Peach and Dark Chocolate

I love meringues because they are chewy and low in calories. They are great with fruit. I just received some lovely passion fruits which are lovely with mangoes and pineapple. Since I did a dessert with pineapples last week and mangoes are out of season, I used some tinned unsweetened peach slices I had in my pantry. Dark chocolate is healthier than milk and is loaded with antioxidants. A little goes a long way.

Meringue:

Ingredients:

4 egg whites

Pinch of Salt

1 cup of sugar

1 Tsp lime juice

Topping:

1 Cup Whipping Cream

1 Cup Sliced Peaches

_ Cup shaved dark chocolate

Method:

Preheat the oven to 300F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

In a clean mixer, whisk the egg whites and salt on high speed until they hold their shape.

Pour the sugar in stages until the mixture forms firm peaks.

Add the lime juice and whisk to incorporate.

Pour the meringue on the baking sheet in an oval shape, it doesn’t have to look perfect, which is part of the charm to get that rustic look.

Place on the bottom rack of the oven and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, then switch off the heat and let the meringue stay in the oven for another 1 hour in the heat. Do not open the door or it will collapse!

Remove when ready and set aside.

For the topping, whisk the cream into half-stiff peaks and spoon on top of meringue.

Place peach slices on top and scoop the flesh from the passion fruits and drizzle all over.

Finish with sprinklings of dark chocolate.

A warm thanks to my sponsors, MegaMart.

Please contact me at info@juicychef.com

Bon Appetit!